Jessie Vargas Plans Return In 1st Quarter of 2016, Ali Possible
Dec 24, 2015 • 10:38 AM ET
By Jake Donovan
Boxing fans and media alike wondered aloud why Jessie Vargas and Sadam Ali would sit out the remainder of 2015 rather than find a way to face each other in the ring.
They may soon have an answer to that question, one that serves as a reminder to leave the negotiating to those who know the business side.
It’s safe to say that 2015 was a year to forget for Jessie Vargas. In the past 12 months, the Las Vegas native relinquished his super lightweight title, suffered his lone career loss in a unanimous decision to Timothy Bradley in a fight mired in officiating controversy and has been idle for the past six months with his next opportunity nowhere in sight.
That has changed in recent days, potentially in a very big way.
“Right now, it looks like we could be returning in March – definitely sometime in the first quarter of 2016,” Vargas (26-1, 9KOs) informed BoxingScene.com on Wednesday. “Some names have been mentioned, nothing solidified, but I’m confident it will be a big fight.”
As recently reported by BoxingScene.com news editor Steve Kim, the same time frame is in store for Ali to return to the ring. The unbeaten Brooklyn-bred welterweight is line to fight for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title, for which he is the mandatory challenger.
The current title claimant is Bradley, who was granted an optional defense for his last fight, a fire-extinguishing 9th round stoppage of Brandon Rios in November. His next defense was to be versus Ali, but the suggestion of the belt being available for the unbeaten Brooklynite also carries implications that Bradley has other plans for his own first fight of 2016 – namely a third fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Should the belt become vacant, the next two challengers in the WBO rankings are Amir Khan and Vargas. As Khan is seeking bigger game for his 2016, a matchup between Ali and Vargas remains a strong possibility for the first quarter of the year – and with far more at stake than had they agreed to terms for a non-title fight that would have taken place last weekend in Verona, New York.
“It wasn't in our benefit to take the fight in New York,” Vargas said of declining the fight at the time, upon the advice of Cameron Dunkin, among the top managers in the game and who presently guides the career of the former 140 lb. titlist. “I'm open to doing it if we have the chance again to discuss it.”
For now, it remains speculation. Bradley is still the champ until the WBO says otherwise. He still doesn’t know his next move until Pacquiao formally announces plans for what will be the final fight of the Filipino’s incredible career. Meanwhile, Ali and Vargas simply have plans to return in the first quarter of 2016. If it’s against one another, that would be an added bonus - and redemption in the face of those who've questioned the recent decisions made in their respective careers.
“He was one of the names that was mentioned to me, but nothing is solidified at this moment,” Vargas said. “If it’s a fight with Sadam Ali, heck yeah we will be ready for it, even more so if it's for the world title. It’s an intriguing matchup. If they want the fight, we hope that it will land on neutral ground. It's nothing that can't be done.”
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home.
